Sub-Total
2023 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member: Susan Searing
Company: Timothy Mooney Repertory Theatre
Show: Breakneck Midsummer Night’s Dream
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Abridged Shakespeare with all the good parts
This shortened version of a classic I've watched before at full length and certainly read at least once was simply delightful! It left me and my companion wondering, What did they cut? The story rolls along, the poetry flows, the rough tradesmen's play-within-a-play leaves us laughing, and Puck's magic enchants. Every one of the half dozen actors moves among multiple roles so seamlessly that this itself seems magical, but of course it's a sign of remarkable direction, skillful acting, and thorough preparation.
Company: Wet Splat Productions
Show: 20,000 Leagues Under the Telltale Heart
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Entertaining, fast-paced, skillful improv
I saw this with two friends. One absolutely adored it; the other declared it a complete waste of time. I sided with the positive response. The story moved along quickly with great inventiveness. Although I wished some of the characters spoke more loudly (notably Kafka) or conveyed more personality (Twain could have been far more sarcastic and curmudgeonly), everyone did a great job at picking up prompts and building on absurd premises. I was personally disappointed that Hans Christian Anderson dropped out of the action very early on day we went, as the actor portraying him switched to playing multiple supporting roles to move the plot along--and with impressive agility and physical humor, augmented by the live sound effects. There's no deep message for the audience here, just a lot of laughs and the satisfaction of seeing improvisors at the top of their game. It would be even more fun if more literary history and gossip could be folded into the show.
Company: Thee & Me Productions
Show: Omar Khayyam Club
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Fascinating literary history, cleverly framed
I had heard of _The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam_ but ignorantly thought it was a modern work, and so I learned a lot from this show. But mostly, I enjoyed this calm, intellectually engaging, cleverly scripted, and well acted break from the many Fringe shows that are loud and emotionally intense. I was charmed as well by the portrayal of a "New Woman" protesting the all-male membership rules. However, I missed a parallel acknowledgement of the cultural dynamic of Orientalism that contributed to the popularity of The Rubaiyat. Could that dynamic have been depicted more strongly somehow by the devotees attending the club's dinner meeting? Or would shoe-horning a contemporary concept into a piece set a century ago ruin it? Since the playwright found ways to highlight future places and events in order to demonstrate Omar Khayyam's enduring influence on popular culture, when I thought about the play afterwards, I found myself craving a bit more critical depth. On the whole, however, it's a delightful production that I highly recommend!
Company: Kurkendaal Barrett Presentations
Show: Climbing my family tree
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Personal storytelling at its best
I almost skipped this one, because I saw it (and loved it) the first time Les performed it (online when the Fringe went virtual during the COVID lockdown). But my spouse hadn't seen it and was intrigued, so we went. I'm so glad we did! New details have been added; the story is even richer and more entertaining now. Les has such an engaging and enthusiastic style of delivery that I could've happily sat for another hour listening to how he got to know his relatives, past and present. He let us know that his genealogical research is ongoing, so there may be further iterations of "Climbing My Family Tree." For sure I'll be in the audience!
Company: Boldly Go Productions
Show: Star Trek: The Next Improvisation - Presented by HUGE Theater
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Non-stop fun
My knowledge of Star Trek is pretty superficial, but I went to see this with friends who are bigger fans. We all enjoyed it immensely. For me, beyond the abundant humor, the joy came from marveling at the actors' skills in improvising and interweaving more than one story line, and in developing so many characters within a short timeline that I quickly came to care about. This show significantly boosted my appreciation for improv theater.
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Company: Rippling Stories
Show: Against the Odds: Rachel Carson and the Writing of Silent Spring
Venue: Augsburg Studio
Compelling and inspirational
Rachel Carson is a name everyone should know but many do not. At a time when DDT was being hailed as a miracle chemical, she sounded the alarm about its dangers to the environment and in particular its deadly effects on wildlife and birds. But even if you've read her book _Silent Spring_, you probably don't know anything about the struggles of the woman who researched and wrote it. I certainly didn't. Katie Knutson brings Carson to life in this polished one-woman show. Although Carson was notoriously introverted and guarded her privacy, Knutson reveals the passion behind her reserved exterior. The simple set and costuming are period perfect. The show is in the Chautauqua format: first we watch Carson in conversation with an (unseen) visitor; then we have an opportunity to ask Carson questions (which Knutson fields brilliantly); and finally Knutson steps out of character to engage with the audience around her own experiences getting to know and embodying Carson. If you care about the environment, women's history, storytelling, and/or what does (and doesn't) make it into our collective American memory, you should see this show!
Company: Black Lives Black Words International Project
Show: Baldwin's Last Fire
Venue: Theatre in the Round
Don't miss this one!
Harry Waters, Jr. is simply superb in the central role of James Baldwin. Honestly, this is some of the best acting I've ever seen at the Fringe. The entire cast works well together. They move between realism and dream-like/metaphorical sequences fluidly, while a few very simple props are used and re-used very creatively in the theater-in-the-round venue. The plot carries a powerful message about racism that is intertwined with the exploration of Baldwin's fascinating character. This is a polished production that wholly satisfies the viewer.
Company: Marie Cooney Stories
Show: JONAH & JOANNA... And the Great Big Fish
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
Inventive, high energy storytelling
In this one-woman show, Marie Cooney's high energy performance style becomes the perfect vehicle to showcase her story-crafting talent. The familiar tale of Jonah and the whale is merely the frame upon which she hangs an original tall tale that abounds with plot twists, Minnesota references, and raucous humor. A familiar figure on storytelling stages in the Twin Cities and national online venues, Marie is best known for sharing short, powerful, true stories from her own life. Here we see another side of her storytelling -- fictional and funny, but nonetheless emotionally engaging.
Company: Alchemy Arts
Show: When You Hear the Chime
Venue: Southern Theater
A total delight
I’m a storyteller with a love for traditional fairy tales, and I saw this show with a former children’s librarian. We have pretty high standards for anything based on children’s stories. This show utterly charmed us both! The friendship between the two characters was beautifully developed by the writers/actors, illuminating the way that escape into play and stories provides a necessary balance to the challenges of growing through and beyond childhood. Impressive dancing, singing, acting, use of props—this is an all-around excellent production that provided plenty of laughs and a few sincere tears.
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Company: Garrison Shea
Show: Allegro
Venue: Southern Theater
Original and engaging
The fantastic concept that drives the plot is quite original and mostly works, though at a few junctures I was a little confused about which characters were hearing the mental sound track. And I experienced the same issue others mentioned with not hearing all the words when the recorded music and voice were playing simultaneously. But overall I found this show highly engaging, and I enjoyed how the characters (and their relationships) deepened as the hour progressed. In some ways this show has an intimate feel and might do better on a less cavernous stage, but the actors used the space well. Also, there are a lot of funny moments!
Company: Viet Nguyen
Show: Reincarnation Soup
Venue: Southern Theater
A must see!
This was the first show I saw this year, and it set a very high bar for the rest of the Fringe. Utterly compelling, beautifully staged, and brilliantly acted, Reincarnation Soup is humane, humorous, deep, and wholly original.